PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Merrill Schneider (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Khalid Haji (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Merrill Schneider has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Schneider
vs
Haji

209 cm
22
151 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

192 cm
20
153 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Merrill Schneider!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Khalid Haji!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Sergei Dronov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Haji clinches with his opponent.
Schneider pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Haji escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Haji misses the jab.
Haji fails with a takedown attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Haji is defended easily by Schneider.
Schneider tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Haji closes this distance looking for a takedown but Schneider circles away.
Merrill Schneider has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Khalid Haji.
Haji dives in and grabs Schneider's left leg, looking for a takedown. Schneider pushes down on Haji's head and hops out.
Haji misses with a takedown attempt

and Schneider holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Haji escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Haji clinches with his opponent.

Schneider breaks from the clinch.
Schneider wants to clinch up but Haji keeps it at a distance.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Haji.
Haji stuffs the takedown attempt from Schneider. Schneider gets slowly back to his feet.
Schneider wants to clinch up but Haji keeps it at a distance.
Schneider throws a nice looking combination but Haji bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Haji lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Haji misses with a combination

and Schneider counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Schneider missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Schneider really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Haji is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Schneider in particular looking to stall.
Haji looks winded!
Haji blocking the ground and pound attempt from Schneider.
Schneider missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Schneider wants to take a breather but Haji is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Schneider connects with a nice short shot to Haji's temple.
Haji keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Schneider scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Schneider controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haji avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Schneider.
Schneider keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Merrill Schneider wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Schneider tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Haji paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Schneider.
Haji changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Schneider tries to avoid it but Haji manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Schneider to the ground. Schneider escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Schneider gets tackled into the cage by Haji. Haji maintains the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schneider effectively controlling the action here.

Schneider successfully pulls guard.
Haji stays in close to Schneider's body and controls the position.
Schneider not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Haji wants to control from the top but Schneider keeps moving.
Schneider is striking from the bottom but Haji uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Haji tries to stand but can't do so whilst Schneider controls his leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Merrill Schneider dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Schneider tries to keep at a distance but Haji has taken the fight into the clinch.
Haji tries to pull guard but Schneider won't allow it.
Haji wants a takedown.
Schneider tries to circle away but Haji has him pinned against the cage.
Schneider wants to break free but Haji has control.
Schneider wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Haji has him pressed against the cage.
Haji stalls.
Schneider is looking for a takedown.
Haji wants a takedown but no success here.
Merrill Schneider has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Khalid Haji.

Haji escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Haji avoids the head kick by Schneider.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Haji tries to keep at a distance but Schneider has taken the fight into the clinch.
Schneider pushes off an throws an elbow but Haji leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Haji breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Haji clinches.

Haji manages to break the clinch.

Schneider fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Haji, pushing him back against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Haji as Schneider tries to tie him up.
Haji lands a knee to the body.

Haji manages to pull guard.
Schneider throws a big elbow that misses.
Schneider won't allow Haji to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schneider in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Schneider gets to his feet - Haji follows without any prompting.
Schneider misses with a double jab
and Haji counters with a leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Schneider stuffs the takedown attempt from Haji. Haji gets slowly back to his feet.
Haji is breathing heavily.

Schneider has managed to clinch.
Haji keeps control of Schneider as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Schneider is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Haji pulls him back up using the underhooks.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Schneider throws an elbow but it misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haji stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Schneider is looking to control Haji's arms but Haji gets an underhook and turns him. Now Schneider has his back to the cage.
Schneider pressing his opponent against the cage.
Schneider is trying to force a seperation but Haji has the dominant position.
Haji has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Schneider avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Schneider working hard to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Schneider.
Haji presses Schneider against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Schneider looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Haji breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Schneider pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Haji tries for a takedown but Schneider sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Haji shoots in for a double leg but Schneider sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Schneider connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Schneider shoots in but no luck this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Haji shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Schneider throws a head kick but Haji moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Merrill Schneider will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Schneider displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Haji.

Schneider fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Haji, pushing him back against the cage.

Schneider breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Haji shoots in and drives through. Schneider sprawls well.
Haji takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Merrill Schneider is winning the standup battle so far.

Schneider dives in and scores a takedown into Haji's guard.
Schneider trying to control the position from guard on top but Haji is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Haji wants to stand and escape but Schneider is having none of it.
Haji keeping moving, preventing Schneider from controlling successfully.
Schneider lands a couple of digs.
Haji takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Haji throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Schneider missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Haji avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Schneider connects with a couple of short punches.
Schneider throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Haji works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Schneider lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Schneider throws a big elbow that misses.
Schneider scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Schneider landing some decent shots from guard.
Schneider content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schneider throwing strikes but missing.
Schneider postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Schneider slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Schneider missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Schneider scoring with punches to the head and body.
Schneider scoring with punches to the head and body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Schneider trying to control but Haji is working from the bottom.
Schneider working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Haji's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schneider loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Haji trying to control the position.
Haji is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Schneider postures up in Haji's guard and throws a big left but Haji blocks it.
Schneider throwing strikes from guard but Haji blocks nicely.

Schneider decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Haji, up you get!

Schneider looking to score a takedown here. Haji is defending well but Schneider drives through and ends up in Haji's guard.
Haji preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Merrill Schneider overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Haji controls Schneider momentarily but Schneider frees himself.
Haji preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haji wants to sweep here but Schneider controlling him for the moment.
Schneider postures up and lands a big shot to Haji's brow.
Schneider throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Haji works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Schneider makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Schneider wants to control from the top but Haji keeps moving.
Schneider throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Haji works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Schneider engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Schneider with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

And that's the end of the fight!
Merrill Schneider showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Schneider has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Merrill Schneider!